Howard woke to find himself in his cabin, bandages wrapped around his barrel and left wing, feeling rather confused. It was dim in the cabin, just one desk light on and the curtains drawn. Once he had enough wit to remember what had happened to him, the door opened. Jason looked in, made eye contact with the Captain, nodded and backed out, shutting the door.

He flopped back, finding his strength lacking and his appetite building, which he remembered as being side effects of healing potions being used on him. He must have dozed off, because he woke when someone knocked on his door before opening it. The someone was his Chief Officer, Carroll Milsap, a genderbent seagull/cougar griffon, followed by his ship’s doctor, Lucien Macombe, carrying a laden dinner tray in his deep red glow. “Glad you’re awake, Captain,” Carroll said as she took a seat in a corner of the room, allowing space for Lucien to put the tray where Howard could get at it.

“Ah had no doubts about him wakin’ up,” Lucien drawled in his thick New Orleans accent. “Nothin’ major got broke, and when ah got the bullet out and healin’ salves on, ah knew it wouldn’t be a few hours afore he woke.”

Howard eagerly dug into the heaping bowl of sausage and grits for a good minute before having some coffee. “Will someone tell me just what happened to put me here?” he asked when his hunger had eased enough to allow him to speak.

“You done got shot by some thirty-two caliber slugs fired from a gun held by a startled thirteen year old hippogriff who uses the name Becky Thatcher. You done splashed down into the river, and Paige dove in after you, keeping your head up until some more help came,” Lucien explained as Howard had some more sausage. “Cicely and Stephanie came charging down alongside the tracks, Aaron hot on their heels.”

Carroll then took up the tale. “While Aaron worked on getting you and Paige to shore, Cicely and Stephanie worked on calming Becky down. To hear Cicely talk, it was Stephanie that got Becky settled down enough to be sensible, Cicely just lending strength by her presence. I arrived a bit later, followed by Harry and Jim in the truck. We got you loaded in the back of the truck and brought here for Lucien to work on you while Cicely and Stephanie brought Becky here on hoof, talking to her all the while.”

“How is Becky doing? How long has she been on her own?” Howard asked after finishing the heaping bowl of sausage and grits, which he had to admit felt good inside him.

“A couple of months, best she could figure,” Lucien said as his red glow scanned Howard. “There was snow on the ground when she woke up the way she is. She’s been hiding out in the Mark Twain Caves, using the old hand cart to go back and forth. She started carrying the gun after being chased by some critters. When you flew at her, she just pulled it and fired out of pure fright. One round was an in and out on your wing, the other one hit you in the left side. Didn’t penetrate any organs, but your side muscles ain’t going to be happy for a while. That’s why you’re on your right side.”

Howard yawned. “How long am I off duty, Doctor?” he asked.

“You should be able to get up and about in the morning. Right now, you get back to sleep and stay that way until you got to get up again, okay? You’ll be sore for another day or so, other than that, you’ll be okay,” Lucien pronounced with all the confidence of a minister speaking from the pulpit.

“I’ll buy that for a quarter…” Howard mumbled as his head hit the pillow again. The two cleared the cabin, taking the tray with them, letting him sleep.

Down in the Lounge, the crew and passengers waited on what Lucien had to say as Carroll put the dirty dishes up. “He’ll be right as can be tomorrow morning, except for some muscle soreness. That should clear up with some exercise. Got to love healing potions, even minor ones,” he told the gathered ponies and whatnot.

Carroll came out of the galley and looked at Jason, Stephanie and Becky. “The Captain will interview you all tomorrow. Until then, Becky, I want you to stay near Stephanie until such time as the Captain or I give you the freedom of the ship. Until then, I want you escorted. Tonight, you’ll stay here. If you want to join us on our expedition, tomorrow we’ll get your stuff from the caves and move you in. Understood?” she said in serious but not angry tones.

“I understand, Miz Milsap. It will be nice to sleep in a real bed and not be alone!” Becky said emphatically.

Stephanie put an arm around Becky’s shoulders. “From now on, you’ll only be alone by choice. I’ll be here for you, as will Papa and the rest of the crew. I know what it’s like to be alone. I don’t wish that on anyone!” she said, adding a gentle hug to the words.

“Thank you, Stef. Can we go back to the cabin and talk some more? I have lots of learning to do!” Becky said with a giggle.

Stephanie grinned back at the pink hippogriff. “Let’s do it!”

As the pair headed to the stairwell heading up, Jason said to Lucien and Carroll, “I’m glad the two are getting along. They both need friends their age.” That was more than he usually said all day.

Lucien nodded in agreement. “Yep. That’s the absolute truth. I’ve seen too many times kids die on the vine because of one reason or another they wouldn’t reach out to have friends. Ah’m glad Stef latched on to you and Esther. You two is doin’ a good job with her. Damn happy to see such happ’nin,” he said solemnly. Jason just nodded in return and went into the galley to clean up and set out the overnight munchie selection before he went to bed. He wakes up promptly at six each morning to prepare breakfast.

27 March 2018

Howard woke about eight in the morning, urged up by severe bladder pressure, which he managed to relieve without undue incident. His left side was sore, but nothing unbearable. Putting on a clean uniform shirt, he headed downstairs for breakfast. He decided on a custom one, pancakes, sausage, fish bacon and three eggs over easy, the eggs coming from the chicken coop installed over the winter up on the top deck by the exhaust stacks. Nobody bothered him while he ate, waiting until he had finished before approaching him, the first of which being his exec, Carroll Milsap.

“Feeling better now, Captain?” she asked as Howard leaned back in his seat, sipping from his coffee mug.

“Better now than before, Chief. Side and wing are feeling a bit tight. I’ll see Lucien about it when he wakes up,” Howard said, referring to the doctor’s proclivity for sleeping until the crack of noon, unless he is truly needed. In that case, he has been known to spend two days awake, crash for six hours, then go another two days. “Where are the girls?”

“Cicely has Becky and Stephanie with her in the big guest cabin, checking how much education they truly have,” Carroll reported. a job Cicely is qualified to do, having been a teacher in her past before moving to administration.

“I’m glad to see Stephanie opening up to Cicely. Looks like my idea worked. Ship status?” Howard asked.

“We could set out today, but tomorrow morning or the next day would be better. We need to take a trip to the caves to get Becky’s gear, and complete the stores load that got interrupted yesterday. That’s under way now, with Harry, Ruth, Jim and Aaron on that working party. Esther has the watch with Paige until lunch, then I’ll take over. Otherwise, the ship is in shape. Care to do a walkdown, Captain?” Carroll asked

“That would be a very good idea, Chief. Some gentle exercise should clear the stiffness,” Howard agreed, slowly getting up and stretching.

The two did a walkdown of the craft, first going upstairs and checking in at the Bridge before heading aft, inspecting the cabins, except the ones who had night watches. They then went up to the roof, checking the chicken coop aft before going forward to the gun emplacements. Finding the guns in order, Carroll then asked her captain, “Fly down to the deck?”

Howard was quick to answer. “Glide to the pier. Small steps first,” he said before unhooking the safety line and leaping off, spreading his wings.

He made it safely down to the pier, but he could feel the stiffness in his left side, especially when his hooves hit the concrete. He didn’t fall, but he did stagger some. Carroll landed expertly nearby, having replaced the safety line before taking off. “You okay?”

“I will be. Need some more workout time. I’ll try again after lunch,” Howard said before leading the way to the gangplank and going back aboard. There, they checked over the deck, noting that bays 1, 2 and 4 were ‘dummy-locked’, meaning the doors were shut and locks were in place, but not sealed. Howard knew that was because the Second Officer had a working party out gathering supplies, and setting a supply dump up. Tomorrow will be soon enough to set up the second, which Howard decided would be in the Mark Twain Caves.

“One idea I have is to take the hand cart along with us and give it to the track crew in Memphis,” Carroll suggested. “Would be a shame to leave it here. We know it works.”

Howard was quick to answer. His body’s soreness was fading, but his mind is as sharp as ever. “Good idea. We have plenty of space for it. Let’s ask Becky first. I think she’ll be agreeable.”

“Going to interview her?”

“After lunch, with Stephanie, Cicely and either Jason or Esther present. I want her to relax. I wonder how much she knows about being a hippogriff,” Howard said as he looked inside bay 6, the refrigerated compartment. All was in place there. Harry Bell and Jason keep it that way at all times. Easier to find what you’re looking for.

“I’m sure Stephanie is busy telling Becky how good a pony you are,” Carroll commented as Howard shut the door to bay 6 and locked it.

“I’m concerned about what Cicely is saying.”

After lunch, and after a going over by Lucien, who said that he needed more gentle exercise but put off flying until tomorrow, Howard gathered Stephanie, Becky, Cicely and Esther in a corner of the Lounge. “Becky, first thing I will say to you is that I will not hold you shooting me against you. Am I right in saying you have never seen a pony flying before?” he said gently to the dark pink hippogriff.

Becky nodded, her mane bouncing some. Howard noticed that it was partially braided, probably by Stephanie during morning lessons. “That’s right, Captain. Seeing you flying at me, well, I got scared and started shooting. I’ve seen flying critters before, but not ponies. I’m glad you’re all right,” she said, her voice only a little shaky.

Howard glanced at Stephanie, who put an arm around Becky’s neck. “Easy, Becky. The Captain’s a very good pony. I’m sure he’s not mad at you. Now, go tell him what you know,” the normally quiet Abyssinian told her friend.

Taking courage from the words and the Captain’s calm expression, Becky told about her waking up at her house the way she was ‘a few months back, when there was a lot of snow’. Having spent her life in Hannibal, she knew all about the Mark Twain Caves, and decided to make it her base, because she knew where she could build a fire to keep warm. Slogging through the snow was a chore, until she found the rail car. She used that to gather supplies, only going out when the sun shone. The pistol belonged to her mother, and she knew how to use it, but was not very skilled with it.

“How many times have you had to use it, Becky?” Howard asked.

“Four times all together, Captain. Twice on dogs, once on something I’m not sure what it was. It came at me, I shot at it, it fled and I have not seen it since. Will you let me stay aboard? I don’t want to be alone again, hoping someone would show up,” Becky said hopefully.

“A couple more questions first. One, Becky Thatcher is not your real name, but one you chose after you woke up, right?” Howard asked.

Becky nodded. “Yes. I never liked my given name, and when I woke up like this, I thought it didn’t fit me any more. No problem with that, is there?”

Howard smiled warmly at the filly. “Not at all. I did the same thing myself. Many ponies do, some don’t. It’s all a matter of choice.

“Now, will you be willing to follow the rules of the ship, do any and all chores assigned to you, and obey the ship’s officers at all times?” he asked with a firm expression on his face.

“Yes, Captain! I will do so! Can Stef and I work together?” Becky said, snapping a sharp salute with both her right arm and right wing, the feather tips of which went into her right ear, making her shake and grimace, spoiling the effect.

“I see no reason why not, Becky. Is there anything you would like to do before we leave? I would like to set up a supply shelter at the caves. Want to help with it?”

Becky grinned eagerly. “Yes, Captain! When?”

“After breakfast tomorrow. One thing we would like to do, when we leave, is to bring your hand rail car with us. We know some ponies in Memphis who would like to have it. Can we do so?” Howard asked.

Becky was startled that they would even ASK her if they could take the hand truck, but recovered fast. “Sure! I’m surprised it even worked. Needed a lot of WD-40 and oil to clear the rust out. If someone can use it, go ahead!” she said, surprise in her voice quickly replaced by eagerness.

“Okay, then! Welcome aboard, Becky!” Howard said, standing and extending a paw to her. After shaking, he said “You work with Stephanie through until after dinner, doing what chores need doing. Tomorrow, I’ll start you on flying lessons, okay?”

“Fly? Me? No way I can fly! Swim, yes. Fly?” Becky said, incredulous.

“I flew at you, right? If I can do it, you can, too! Those wings are not for decoration, they’re meant to be used! Now, to work, crewpony! Stephanie, report to Papa with Becky for duties!” Howard said with an official snap at the end.

Stephanie saluted smartly. “Yes, Captain! Come on, Becky!” she said before heading to the galley, Becky in tow.

Cicely, who had been watching the whole interview with Esther, chose that time to speak. “You’ve raised children Before, Howard. It shows.”

Howard shook his head. “Nope. Lifelong bachelor. Now, I did have bunches of nieces, nephews and little cousins. They soon learned that Uncle Howie was no pushover!”

“You would have made a good teacher, Howard. You handled the girls well. Ready to hear what I learned this morning?” she asked. At Howard’s nod, she went on. “Becky had just graduated junior high school and was looking forward to summer activities with her friends. Waking up in the thick of winter was a sudden surprise, especially being alone and changed into a hippogriff, though she didn’t know that word.

“It took her several days to get herself sorted out. Fortunately, her house has a working fireplace, and she was able to keep warm between foraging expeditions. She knew about the caves, and made her way there. The hand cart was part of a display, and she got it working with a lot of greasing of the gears. It made going to and from town easier.

“She woke up late yesterday, to find the ship tied up here. Excited, she raced to the cart and started heading our way. Esther saw her on the tracks and the rest you know.” Cicely explained.

“What went on yesterday and this morning?” Howard asked.

“After you splashed down in the river, she brought the cart to a stop. Paige had arrived by then and dove in to keep your head out of the water. Stef and I were next, racing down the tracks. Stef immediately went to Becky to calm her down, getting her to put the pistol back into its holster before hugging her. Aaron was next to dive in and get you out of the river. Harry and Jim arrived with the truck, Jim got you loaded in the bed and they drove you here while Stef and I brought Becky to the ship. Carroll offered her a hot meal and companionship, which she detailed to Stef and I,” Cicely described as she had a cup of coffee.

“Do you think Becky is safe and stable?”

“No more and no less than anyone else in this day and age, Captain,” Cicely said firmly, believing in what she said. “It would do her a world of good being aboard. By the time we get back to New Orleans, she’ll be able to decide her path in life, wherever it may be.”

“I’ll buy that for a nickel, Cicely,” Howard said. “Care to walk with me through downtown? I can use the exercise.”

“Sounds good to me!”

The rest of that day, stores load was completed. The next day was devoted to setting up the two ‘survival kits’ they planned on placing there in Hannibal, one up at the lighthouse and the other at the caves Becky holed up at. The last chore was for the unicorns (Lucien, Arnie and Jim) to stow the railroad hand cart in one of the cargo bays and secured down so it would not roll. “Just glad there’s no rough seas on a river!” Harry Bell observed once the hand cart was lashed firmly in place.

“Don’t hold your breath, Harry,” Howard told him. “There’s some big lakes coming up, and when a storm blows, barges are not known to be placid places.”

“Pardon me for saying so, Howard, but I’ll believe that when I see it.”

“You’ll get your chance.”

The Mississippi Voyager made its way upstream, dealing with locks and dams as well as dropping off ‘survival kits’ at the different towns they passed, namely Quincy, IL, LaGrange, MO, Canton, MO, and Warsaw, IL. The next ‘big city’ they approached is the ‘thriving metropolis’ of Keokuk, Iowa. Arnie and his engineering team went into the depths of Lock and Dam 19, where they found something startling. “Cap’n, this place done got power! Everythin’s workin’ down heah! Openin’ the south doors for you!” Arnie sent through the crystals as he worked the lock controls, the doors opening.

“There’s a hydroelectric plant here, Arnie. Somehow, it must still be working to power the hydraulics. Once we’re through, we’ll check it out,” Howard sent as he watched Carroll guide the ship into the lock. Once clear, Arnie shut the south doors and started to fill the lock, getting ready to open the north doors.

“Captain! Activity on west bank! Four diamond dogs, armed!” sent Paige Olsen, who was on lookout duty above the ship.

“I see them, Lookout. Shift your location to over the river and keep watching. Arming weapons,” Howard sent as he powered up the weapons console. “Aaron, make ready to man the upper deck guns.”

“Going to access hatch, Captain. Ready to obey orders,” Aaron Tereshkov, the ship’s newly-minted Fourth Officer sent in reply, getting to the hatch in the upper midship’s passage, undogging it but not opening.

Outside, the four dogs, all big burly puggish-types, set themselves up on the street alongside the lock. Two of them carried rifles, one pushed a covered cart, and the fourth carried a bullhorn. The one with the bullhorn turned it on with a loud squawk before talking. “Ahoy the ship! Stand down and prepare to be boarded! The King of Keokuk orders the ship to be confiscated and all crew members arrested pending trial!” The bullhorn was loud enough to be clearly heard throughout the ship.

Out of sight-line of the dogs, Howard rotated the topside grenade launcher so it pointed in the dog’s direction, but almost straight up. “Carroll, all stop on the engines. Alert Arnie to keep hidden, but be wary of underground passages to the power plant and lock controls,” he ordered as he turned on the outside loudspeakers.

The two dogs with rifles outfitted their guns with RPG’s from the covered cart. Small, but the Voyager is a converted barge, not a warship. No armor plating. “Ahoy the ship! Prepare for boarding! The King so orders!”

Howard keyed the mic. “What did the Harlequin say when the Ticktockman told him to repent?”

The four dogs looked at each other, then the two with rifles got down on one knee and took aim at the ship. “What did he say?” the dog with the bullhorn asked before ordering his gunners “Open fire!”

Author's Note

King of Keokuk? Well, that's unexpected. Davenport has access to the outside, why not Keokuk? For the answer to this and other questions yet unasked, stay tuned to this story! More in Chapter Three!

-sighs-

Wish the pain and fatigue would stop. Getting up out of my bed or chair takes more effort every day. Going to 'mindfulness' lessons at the VA hospital every Thursday ruins me for a couple days after. Sometimes I wonder why I bother.

Then I sit down and write, post, and see the responses. Thank you, readers! Any suggestions, ideas, compliments, complaints, put them in the comments! Now for some more Arnold Palmer... *wheels off*